Opinion
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The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: A Good One
Each Friday, for more than two years, The Root has responded to emails and comments from our readers (and some people who obviously don’t read The Root). Not today. Today, there will be just one email and one response. From: TyrusTo: Michael Harriot I read your blog about the jaguar and found it to be…
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My Grandpa and the Land
“I shuddered to think that while we wanted that flag dragged into the mud and sullied beyond repair, we also wanted it pristine, its white stripes, summer cloud white. Watching it wave in the breeze of a distance made us nearly choke with emotion. It lifted us up with its promise and broke our hearts…
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Candace Owens Was Named in the New Zealand Shooter's Alleged Manifesto. But Christchurch Is Bigger Than Her
Every time I write about Candace Owens, I feel manipulated. I feel manipulated because Candace Owens, on her own, is not newsworthy. She’s not witty or particularly charismatic. She’s billed as a commentator and activist, but to describe her grasp on politics, history, gender, or race as shallow would be doing a great disservice to…
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No, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Didn't Call Ronald Reagan a Racist. But She Should Have
One of my earliest memories in life was the night Ronald Reagan was elected president because it was also the night I prayed harder than I ever have in life. During the presidential campaign of 1980, I distinctly remember being terrified after I heard an adult say: “If Reagan is elected, he will send black…
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Tucker Carlson Won't Apologize for Calling Women 'Primitive', Joking About Underaged Girls, and That Sounds About White
Fox News host Tucker Carlson isn’t an outstanding white man. He can’t do anything extraordinary. He can’t sing or dance or jump really high, but he does possess one trait that stands out above most all white men: He’s the loudest whiny white-guy voice in a sea of whiny white guy voices. He’s made a…
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No Points for Guessing: Woman Attacked by Jaguar After Hopping Zoo Barrier
See that scary-ass black cat? That’s not a dry seal or some kind of deceptively cuddly anime character. That’s a damn jaguar. Thanks to those among us who enjoy their potato salad as white as Dow Jones’ editorial staff, we’ve another predictable interaction between dangerous predatory animals and adventurous white folks. Animals, who jumped out…
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The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: Bad Words
Happy Clapback Day! From now on, I will only refer to the day between Thursday and Saturday as “Clapback Day.” I’ve done the etymological research and discovered that the day was named after the Greek god of hot grease, Frysomethis. It’s not that I want to censor or outlaw the old name. But, as a…
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Black Women Deserve the Truth From Their Doctors. Trump Is Trying to Keep Us in the Dark
When I was 19 years old, I walked into a health center in Michigan knowing I was pregnant but uncertain of my future. To this day, I remember the compassion and grace of the nurse who helped me, who saw me scared and crying but calmly let me know that I had options. I could…
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Jersey Black
When I tell people I’m from Jersey that usually garners one of three reactions: “Oh yeah what part, Newark?” Translation: All Black people from Jersey live in Newark. “Like Jersey Shore?!” Translation: That’s the most memorable Jersey reference I have. “Oooooh so you’re a Jersey Girl?!” Translation: I still don’t know what this means…